Air-feeding system for ice cans



June 16, 19 25.

T. SHIPLEY AIR FEEDING SYSTEM FOR ICE CANS Filed April 18, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 vwewtoz,

June 16, 1925.

T. SHIPLEY AIR FEEDING SYSTEM FOR ICE CANS Filed April 18. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Hamlet s June 16, 1925.

T. SHIPLEY AIR FEEDING SYSTEM FOR ICE CANS 4 She ets-Sheet 5 Filed April 18. 1923' n uc 1 11's:-

Illlll a Nozucu-S June 16, 1925.

T. SHIPLEY AIR FEEDING sYs-rsu FOR 10s CANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 18. 1923 anucn io'z' Patented June 16, 1925.

THOMAS SHIPLEY, 0F YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

AIR-FEEDING: SYSTEM FOR ICE CANS.

Application filed April 18, 1923. Serial No. 633,024.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SH IP LEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Feeding Systems for Ice Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to can we systems and particularly to means for feeding an into the water contained in the cans for the purpose of agitating the water and cansing it to freeze into clear merchantable Ice.

The object of the invention is to permit the use of air agitation, and hence the freezing of raw water in can ice plants of the socalled pusher type, i. e., that type in which the cans are filled at one end of the chill tank and are then advanced step by step to the opposite. end of the chill tank where they are successively withdrawn and dumped.

Plants of the pusher type ofl'er decided advantages-in the economy with which the cans are filled and dumped, but heretofore, so far as Iam aware, they have been used only to freeze distilled water, as no means was known for continuously feeding air through air pipes to moving cans. Consequently, heretofore the economies of the pusher type plant have been largely offset by the extra cost of distilled water.

While not necessarily restricted thereto, the present invention is given increased commercial practicability by the use of a multiple can unit consisting of a plurality of cans permanently connected together and so arranged as to be filled simultaneously and dumped simultaneously. The adoption of such a multiple can unit permits the application to theunit of a manifold pipe which supplies air to the air pipes of all the cans, and thus minimizes the number of an connections which must be made and broken from time to time in the operation of the plant. For example, by adopting a can unit consisting of twenty-one three hundred pound ice cans, it is posslble to feed air to all twenty-one cans through a single connection.

In order further to simplify the arrangement, I connect the manifold of each can unit to a short tubular header section so constructed and arranged as to be readily connected with similar header sections of adjacent can units. The parts are so arranged that, as the successive can units are moving down the chill tank from the filling endto the dumping end, the various header section are connected together to form a single header extending the entire length of the series of can units and capable of bemg fed with air by feed pipes attached to the two ends of the header. In this way, if one feed pipe is disconnected to permit the insertion or removal of a can unit, and these operations proceed in strict alteration at opposits ends of the tank, the other feed connection will be attached to the header and will supply the necessary air thereto.

To lnsure that one or the other air supp y the ling they may be opened simultaneously, they never can be closed simultaneously. Various types of valve might be used to control the ends of the header sections and prevent the escape of air therefrom, but I prefer, and illustrate, a simple multiple valve for each header, so contrived that it may open the header from end to end or may close the header at will on either side of its connection to the manifold of the corresponding can unit. This simplifies the valve manipulations and provides a structure which has operated successfully in practical use over a considerable period.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1' is a fragmentary perspective showing the air supply connections and the air headers, and also the relation of these parts to the can units. In order to make the construction clear, various parts are broken away in this figure.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of two can units connected together.

Figure 3 is an elevation of one of said can units.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4.--4: of Fig. 2, showin a header section in longitudinal vertica section, and also showing how it is connected with one of the air feed connections and with a companion header section.

' Figure 5 Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, the parts being shown on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Figure 7 is a vertical S ction showing the connections are equipped with controlis a section on the line 55 of connection will always be turned on,

valves so inter-connected that, while special fitting used to connect the air pipe with the air manifold. I

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section showing the brine tank, the pusher head and-a few of the connected can units.

Referring first to Fig. 8, 11 1s the br1ne tank, 12 is a track extending lon itudinally on opposite sides of the tank slightly above the level of brine'therein and 13 is one of two pusher heads, each supported in the end of a corresponding gui e rod 14.

Guide rods 14 are threaded and are projected in unison by nuts 15 which are 'both driven by a single motor 16, through gear trains partly shown at 17. In other words, the pusher heads are merely motor-driven screw-jacks driven in unison and their movement is such as to advance the series of can units sufficiently to permit the insertion of a new can unit upon the retraction of the pusher heads. Devices of this sort are familiar and the particular construction of the pusher heads is not material.

Each can unit consists of a plurality of ice cans 18 of familiar form mounted in a structural steel frame, so contrived as to support the bottoms of the cans and confine their tops, thus holding the cans rigidly 1 n position and protecting them from mechanical injury.

The particular construction of the can unit and the manners of hoisting, filling and dumping it are not features of the present invention, and are not claimed herein, but are reserved for another application.

Considered generally, the frame of the can unit comprises two horizontal top members 19 of channeled section connected at the r ends by castings 20 and 21, whose form is quite clearly shown in the drawings. Suspended from the members 19, by means of vertical members 22 and diagonal members 23, is a lower rectangular frame made up of angle irons 24. A number of cross-bolts 25,

' extending between the side members of the upper and lower frames, serve to tie these members together and to clamp the cans in position between these members. The resulting structure is a bridge or truss which closely confines and supports the cans, leaving their mouths open and unobstructed, so that the ice cakes may be freely discharged by dumping the entire frame as a unit.

Although the filled cans tend to float in the brine of the chill tank, the entire can unit is guided and partly supported, when lowered into the tank, by small flanged wheels 26 which are monuted in the end castings 20 and 21, and which run on the rails 12 extending along the sides of the brine tank.

Successive units are held in alinement with each other by interengagement of the castings 27 and 28 mounted on the upper cross members 19 of the frames.

Any appropriate form of ice can may be used, but I prefer that form with strengthening grooves or ribs 29 extending longitudinally on the broad sides of the cans. These grooves serve as a convenient means for housing air pipes 30 which extend down the outside of the cans within the grooves, and extend through the walls of the cans to the interiors thereof, so as to discharge air within the cans near their bottoms. The usual construction is to end the rib 29 a short distance above the bottom of the can, so that the air pipe 30 extends straight through the curved end wall of the groove, as indicated at 31 in Fig. 6.

All the air pipes in a given can unit are fed by a manifold pipe 32 which extends beneath one of the upper side members 19 and is suspended therefrom by stirrup irons 33. The connection from the manifold 32 to the air pipe may be made in various Ways, but I prefer the combined union and nipple 34, whose construction is clearly illustrated in Fig. 7.

The nipple itself involves no feature of novelty except that its air passage 35 is relatively large and hasits eifective area reduced in the proper degree by a loosely inserted wire 36. This wire is bent over at its upper end, as indicated at 37, to retain it in place and is long enough to be retained by collision with the manifold 32 when the can unit is inverted. This construction has three practical advantages: it avoids the use of very small drills in manufacturing the combined nipple and union, it permits the adjustment of the effective size of the nipple by insertion of different wires 36, and the wire 36 operates to clear the port 35 of any obstructions by its movement through the port 35 when the can unit is dumped and righted. Since the constant flow of air to the water is essentialto the formation of,

clear ice, this clearing feature is one of the utmost practical importance.

Mounted on the end casting 21 of each can unit is the air header section and its controlling valve. This includes a valve body 38 having a cylindrical valve chamber 39 which communicates on one side with a quick detachable hose coupling 40 and on the other side with a nipple 41 to receive a flexible hose 42. This hose 42 terminates at its opposite end in a quick detachable hose coupling43, the hose coupling 43 of any can unit being adapted for connection with the hose coupling 40 of any other can unit.

The valve body 38 is bolted directly to the casting 21 and the hose 42 normally lies in the bifurcated support 44 also bolted to the casting 21. Thus, the valve body and the hose unit form a tubular section ex tending across the end of each can unit in position to be coupled with a similar sec tion on the adjacent can unit.

The hose 42 is formed with an enlargement 45 to give the hose more longitudinal as well as lateral flexibility. This result is desirable to permit ready connection of the header units, and any equivalent arrangement affording the same result might be substituted.

The particular construction illustrated is considered exceptionally advantageous because it can be manufactured at small expense, and because it, is compact, and is rearded as one of the important ancillary eatures of the invention. I do not deem it necessary to illustrate the approximately equivalent substitutes which are familiar to those skilled in the art.

The valve casing 38 is closed at one end and is provided at the other end with a cap 46 having the usual packing gland 47. Passing through this gland is a rotary valve stem 48 which may be turned by a handle 49. The stem 48 is provided with a plurality of spaced radially extending lugs 50 which extend into a channel of the areuate valve 51 so that the rotation of the valve stem 48 swings the valve 51 to different positions in the chamber 39. The valve is held radially outward to its seat by a series of springs 52 housed in the intervals between the lugs 50 and seating against the valve 51 and the valve stem 48.

A port 53 enters the cylindrical chamber 39 at its lower side and is connected by a nipple 54, T 55, nipple 56, flexible hose 57, nipple 58 and elbow 59 with the air manifold 32 already described. One branch of the T is plugged, as indicated at 60, the plug being provided to permit access to the interior of the nipple 54 in case of necessity.

In the position of valve 5-1 shown in Fig. 4, the header section is open from end to end.

Defining directions with reference to Fig. 4, it will be observed that, if the valve 51 is swung counter-clockwise, so as to close the port leading to the left end of the header, the port 53, and hence the manifold 32, will be in communication with the right end of the header. Similarly, if the valve 51 be swung clockwise to close the port leading to the right end of the header, the port 53 will remain in communication with the left end of the header. Consequently, the valve 51 may be manipulated to close either end of the header, while leaving the end manifold in communication with the other end of the header, a function which is availed of when the corresponding can unit is a terminal unit of the series and it is desired to close that end of the manifold to permit disconnection of the air feed from that end.

The air supply is received from a main 61 which extends longitudinally over the chill tank. At the filling end of the chill tank,

it isprovided with abranch connection 62 (see F g. 1) and at the harvesting end of the chill tank is provided with asimilar branch 63. The branch 62 is controlled by a quick opening valve 64 and the branch.

are connected by a flexible cord 68 which passes downward fro-m each lever 66 and 67 around the corresponding one of two guide pulleys 69. The cord 68 is so arranged that both valves may be opened at the same time, but that, if either is closed, it must be drawn open by the closing movement of the other.

The valves 64 and and their inter-connections are preferably mounted overhead, and they are arranged to be actuated by double-ended drop cords 70, 71, as is clearly lndicated. in Fig. 1. Obviously, these valves might be operated in any other convenient manner.

The valve 64 supplies air to a flexible hose 72 which carries at its lower end a hose fitting 43 identical with the hose fittings on the flexible sections 42, and hence adapted to mate with the hose fittings 40 of the various can units. Similarly, the valve 65 controls the flow through a flexible hose connection 73 which terminates in a hose fitting 74 identical in construction with the hose fitting 40 formed on each valve body 38. Consequently, the hose fitting 74 is adapted to mate with the hose fittings 43 of the various can units.

Referring now to Fig. 1, and remembering that the can filling end is that to the left and nearer the observer in this view, the operations of adding can units to and withdrawing them from the series can be explained.

- Assume that the pusher has advanced the cans one step, and that it is desired to fill 71 a new can unit and add it to the series. The

empty unit is brought to the filling station on a traveling crane, not shown, the unit being suspended by means of the links 75 provided at its ends for that purpose.

Assuming that both connections 72 and 73 are connected to feed the header, the valves 64 and 65 are shifted so that 64 is closed and 65 is opened. The valve handle 49 on the last filled can unit in the tank, i. e., the one to which the flexible hose 72 is connected, is turned to the left to close the end 0f the header, and the flexible hose 72 is then disconnected and then connected to the hose connection 40 of the can unit about to be filled. On this unit, the valve handle 49 is swung to the right and, when this has been done, the valve 64 is opened, the valve 65 remaining open also. Under these conditions, the cans in the tank are being fed with air through the connection 73 and the empty can unit is receiving air through the connection 72.

Theca-ns of the new unit are then filled and, as they are filled, they are lowered mto the space in the brine tank left free by the retraction of the pusher head. When the can unit is filled and completely lowered, its coupling L3 is connected to the coupling l of the unit next preceding it and, when this connection has been made, the valve handles 49 of these two units are returned to Vertical position. Under these conditions, the header is again receiving air through both the connections 72 and 73.

The next step is to withdraw at the harvesting end a can unit whose water is com pletely frozen, and which is, therefore, ready for dumping. To effect this result, the valve (35 is closed and the valve handle 49 on the next adjacent can unit is swung to the right, thus closing the end of the header at the harvesting end of the tank. When this has been done, the last can unit can be disconnected from the flexible feed pipe 73 and from the adjacent can unit, and will be withdrawn for dumping. As soon as it has been withdrawn; the flexible hose 7 3 will be connected to the succeeding can unit which has now become the terminal one of the series, and the valve will be again opened. This restores the air connections to their original condition and, as soon as the pusher head has advanced the series of cans, the parts are in condition for a repetition of the cycle of operation above described.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. The combination with a can ice plant including a plurality of cans arranged to travel in series in a freezing tank from a filling station to a dumping station, of air pipes moving with the cans and arranged to discharge within the cans; and connections for continuously supplying air under pressure to said air pipes regardless of such travel of said cans.

2. The combination with a can ice plant including a plurality of cans arranged to travel in series from a filling station to a dumping station, of air pipes moving with the cans and arranged to discharge within the cans; a tubular header made up of a plurality of sections releasably connected together, said sections being connected to feed corresponding air pipes; and means for continuously feeding air under pressure to said header regard-less of such travel of said cans.

3. In a can ice plant of the'type in which the cans travel in series in a freezing-tank from a fillin station to a dumping station, the combination of a plurality of can units, each comprising a plurality of cans connected together; air pipes fixed on the can units and arranged to discharge within the cans; a supply manifold for the air pipes of each can unit carried by such unit; and means for continuously supplying air under pressure to said manifolds regardless of such travel of said can units.

4. In a can ice plant of the type in which the cans travel in series from a filling station to a dumping station, the combination of a plurality of can units, each comprising a plurality of cans connected together; air pipes arranged to discharge within the cans; a supply manifold for the air pipes of each can unit; and means for supplying air under pressure to said manifold regardless of such travel of said can units, said means including a tubular header made up of readily separable sections, each section being connected with a corresponding one of the manifolds.

5. In a can ice plant of the type in which the cans travel in series from a filling station to a dumping station, the combination of a plurality of can units, each comprismg a plurality of cans connected together; air pipes arranged to discharge within the cans; a supply manifold for the air pipes of each can unit; a tubular header made up of a plurality of readily separable sections, each section being connected with a corresponding supply manifold; and means for feeding air at will to either or both ends of said sectional header.

6. In a can ice plant of the type in which the cans travel in series from a filling station to a dumping station, the combination of a plurality of can units, each comprising a plurality of cans connected together; air pipes arranged to discharge within the cans; a supply manifold for the air pipes of each can unit; a tubular header made up of a plurality of readily separable sections, each section being connected with a corresponding supply manifold; two air supply connections, each adapted to be releasably connected to a corresponding end of the header; and valve means associated with each header section and operable to close either end thereof.

7. In a can ice plant of the type in which the cans travel in series from a filling station to a dumping station, the combination of a plurality of can units, each comprising a plurality of cans connected together; air pipes arranged to discharge within the cans; a supply manifold for the air pipes of each can unit; a tubular header made up of a plurality of readily separable sections, each section being connected with a corresponding supply manifold; two air supply connections, each adapted to be releasably connected with a corresponding end of the header; and a multiple way valve associated with each header section and adapted to close either end of the section at will, while maintaining the corresponding manifold in pluralit of readily se communication with the other end, and in a third position to place said manifold in communication with both ends of the section.

8. In a can ice plant of the type in which the cans travel in series from a filling station to a dumping station, the combination of a plurality of can units, each comprising a plurality of cansconnected together; air pipes arranged to discharge within the cans; a supply manifold for the air pipes of each can unit; a tubular header made up of a plurality of readily separable sections, each section being connected with a corresponding supply manifold; two air supply connections, each adapted to be releasably connected with a corresponding end of the header; valves controlling the flow of air through said connections; controlling means for said valves constructed and arranged to prevent the valves from being in closed condition simultaneously; and valve means associated with each header section, and operable to close said header at either side of its poiiiection with the corresponding mani- 9. In a can ice plant of the type in which the cans travel in series from a filling station to a dumping station, the combination of a plurality of can units, each comprising a plurality of cans connected together; air pipes arranged to discharge within the cans; a supply manifold for the air pi es of each can unit; a tubularflieader ma e up of a arable sections, each section eing connecte with a corresponding supply manifold two air sup ly connections, each adapted to be releasa ly connected with a corres onding. end' of the header; valves controfiing the flow of air through said connections; controlling means for sa1d valves constructed and a-rran ed to prevent the valves from being in clos dition simultaneously; and a multiple way valve associated withv each header section and adapted to close either end of the section' at will while maintaining the manifold in communication with the other end, and in a third position to. place the manifold in communication with both endsof the section. I v 10. The combination with a can ice plant COD.-

including a plurality of cans arranged to name to this specification.

travel in series from a filling station to a dumping station; of a sectional tubular header traveling with said cans and extending from the filling station to the dumping station; air pipes 1n said cans fed by said header; and means including valves and feed pipes adapted to be releasably connected to the two ends of said header and operable to maintain a continuous feed of air under pressure to said header by alternate feed through its opposite ends while permitting alternating disconnection of the feed pipes for the alternate addition and removal of cans to and from the opposite 4 ends of the series.

each section including a flexible hose formed with an enlargement to give it longitudinal flexibility; and means for feeding air under pressure to said header regardless of such travel of said cans. I

. 12. In a can ice plant of the type in which the cans travel in series from a filling station to a dumping station, the combination of a plurality of can-units, each including a frame and a plurality of cans mounted therein and spaced slightly from each other; air pipes extending between adjacent cans and assing through the ,walls of corresponding cans to discharge within the cans; a supply manifold connected with said air ipes and supported near the top of said rame; and means for supplying air under pressure to said manifold.

13. The combination with a can ice plant including a plurality of cans arranged to travel in series from a filling station to a dumpin station of air pipes fixed to and arranged to discharge within the cans; and means for releasably connecting a plurality of said air pipes together and to a single source of air under pressure, said connecting means being so constructed and arranged as to permit air to be fed to said air pipes from said source regardless of such travel of said cans.

In testimony whereof I have signed my THOMAS SHIPLEY. 

